Carolyn Farb


Carolyn Farb is philanthropist, fundraiser and art collector. She has raised more than 50 million dollars for numerous charitable causes. Farb is a resident of River Oaks, a rich neighborhood in Houston, Texas.

Biography

As a young adult, Farb volunteered at the Texas Children's Hospital, working in the snack bar. She studied journalism at the University of Oklahoma. Farb was initially known for her marriage and subsequent divorce from the wealthy "real estate king" Harold Farb, but starting in the early 80s, she became better known for her parties and fundraisers that benefit various causes. Carolyn Farb and Harold Farb were divorced in 1983 a suit that was reported to cost $20 million.
Farb received an honorary Doctorate in Humanities from Northwood University in 2003.

Philanthropy

Farb raised more than 1 million dollars for cancer research for the Stehlin Foundation with a single gala, helped to raise more than $3 million in one campaign for the University of Houston, and worked with other notable Houston celebrities to raise more than half a million dollars for tsunami relief.
2008 she co-chaired the Helping A Hero Gala to benefit the Wounded Hero Home Program with the Honorable and Mrs. George Strake, Jr., and Houston Mayor Bill White.

Author

How to Raise Millions: Helping Others, Having a Ball by Carolyn Farb, 1993,
The Fine Art of Fundraising by Carolyn Farb, 2004, Emmis Books,
Lucas Comes to America by Carolyn Farb, 2011,

Art Collector

Farb is an avid art collector whose tastes range widely from the Avant-garde to Contemporary art. She enjoys working with living artists and is often passionate about promoting their work to others. For example, she was active in working to promote the art of painter Dorothy Hood. She became interested in Hood's work in the mid-80s and helped raise money to produce the documentary, "Dorothy Hood: The Color of Life". She began collecting the multimedia work of Ingrid Dee Magidson in 2013 after seeing a unique piece at the Houston Art Fair. She has continued to collect Magidson's work, including commissioning her to create an altar.

Notable Artists in Carolyn Farb's Collection